


Manuscripts and Scripts

by ScarletEyes



Series: Sanders Sides Bookstore AU [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: After collage au, Alternate Universe - Human, And Roman has too, And maybe Logan too, Anxiety, Bookstore AU, Established logicality, Human Sides (Sanders Sides), I just realized I had typed collage instead of college in the tags..., Logicality Bookstore, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Major Character death?, Near Death Experiences, Panic Attacks, Prinxiety - Freeform, Remas?, Roman is an actor, Sanders Sides - Freeform, Sequel, Swear Words, Textbooks and Novels, Thomsleep, Thrillers and Fairytales, Virgil is a writer, airplane crash (past), be warned, because Virgil has a potty mouth, book publishing party, but just in case, don’t tell Patton, established prinxiety, idk - Freeform, is that the shipname?, logicality - Freeform, most is fluff though, oh well, opening night performance, probably not, you never know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-09-17 04:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16967304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletEyes/pseuds/ScarletEyes
Summary: The long awaited sequel to Thrillers and Fairytales has arrived!What will happen to Roman and Virgil after college? Find out now by reading this fic!I know I haven’t even finished the prequel yet... but I just needed to write some flippin’ Prinxiety!





	1. Get hyped!

It has been four years since our Cinderella story ended with Roman and Virgil kissing near a statue of a duck in a small Florida town. A lot has happened since that day. 

Let’s start with the things that have remained the same to get you up to speed with the story. If you haven’t read Thrillers and Fairytales, please be aware that this is a sequel! The things I will write about here, are things that are established in that fic. There is also a prequel called Textbooks and Novels that explains how Logan and Patton got together and how they start ‘Logicality bookstore’ (well... once I’ve gotten to that part that is) 

Patton and Logan are still happily married. They own a bookstore in the town they grew up in which is close to the college they attended together with Thomas (now a drama teacher at that college) and Remy (a hairdresser and Virgil’s uncle). Virgil and Roman also attended that college twenty years later.

Unfortunately I can’t resurrect dead people, so Patton’s sister and Virgil’s mother, Nikki Sanders, is still dead and so is her husband Michael Davide. Nikki used to be a writer who mainly wrote children’s literature and Michael was a guitarist who played in orchestras of many theatre performances. Both died in an airplane crash of which Virgil was the lone survivor. 

The crash and the media attention Virgil got afterwards has left him afraid of most kinds of public transport, especially flying, and gave him (social) anxiety. He only takes medication for it when he expects to become really anxious from something. 

After the crash Virgil’s grandparents got custody of him and they moved to Italy, where Virgil attended a international school near Florence. Virgil however choose to move back to America and go to college there, where he met Roman during a course about theatre literature. In America he also met up with his best friend Marinka -Mari- Wade.

Since meeting Roman Virgil has improved and his anxiety has decreased, even though Roman has caused Virgil to suffer from a panic attack now and then. 

Roman, who fell in love with the emo nightmare, still feels like the luckiest man alive when he looks at Virgil and reminds himself that they are actually dating, and have been dating for four years now. 

Now of course there are always things that change in four years time. Both Roman and Virgil have graduated college and are now living in the scary big adult world. Virgil is following in his mother’s footsteps and has just managed to get his first book to a publisher that will actually publish it. Meanwhile Roman has landed his first big role in an off broadway production in New York! 

Both young men are scared but excited about what the future will bring them. Is it all happiness and fairytales? Or will this sequel turn into a thriller? 

One thing is certain. Some thrilling events are about to take place in the lives of Virgil A. Sanders Davide and Roman I. Prince.


	2. Serious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone!   
> Can’t deal with your family for a moment? Come and read this chapter! 
> 
> Roman is about to pop the big question and all Virgil could think about was the song ‘Serious’ from Legally Blonde.

Roman had it all planned out. He was going to propose to Virgil the day before he had to leave to New York, for his first part in an off broadway production. The timing felt right, perfect even as everything in their lives went right for once. 

He had his first role in New York, his hard work and constant flying up to The big apple finally paying off! He was going to play Anatole in The Great Comet of 1812. A perfect role to show off his preferred and very theatrical style of acting! The only little problem was that Roman was going to be away from Virgil for a little while. The show was planned to run for at least a year and they had a three month rehearsal period. Thereby there was always a chance that Roman’s contract would be extended and right now he was definitely planning on working in New York City for a while. 

Virgil on the other hand would remain in the small Floridan town they called their home, at his uncle’s hair salon, until his writing would earn him enough money. Which might happen rather quickly as he was about to become a published writer.

Virgil’s book would get published, without his last name on it or any references to who he was and who his parents were as Virgil wanted to do this on his own account. If his book would become famous, then it would be because of his writing and not because of his past or who his parents were. 

If Virgil was honest, he would say that he didn’t want Roman to go. Mainly because he wanted to stay where he was himself and if Roman would build up a life in New York, he would have to follow or he would lose Roman. But Virgil knew he couldn’t be honest about this. If he gets the opportunity to live out his dream, so should Roman. And right now Roman had a head start. 

The two of them were hanging out in Virgil’s small apartment. The place where they first kissed and where they first talked about being in a relationship. The place where Virgil had spent hours over his keyboard writing. The place where Roman sometimes had to drag Virgil away from when everything became to much and it felt like the walls were closing in on him. The place where Roman would help Virgil with his writers block, by getting him away from his computer to watch a movie or... uhm... do other things... (let’s keep this fic T rated shall we) But right now this was the place where Roman was about to ask the most important question he has ever asked anyone in his entire life, before leaving on his biggest adventure yet! 

“Virgil?” Roman broke the comfortable silence surrounding them hesitantly.

“Mhm” Virgil simply hummed to acknowledge that he heard Roman, but he didn’t look up from his phone. 

“Is it possible that maybe I could get your full attention for this?”

“I knew you liked attention, but now you’re even asking for it?” Virgil chuckled, his face still partially hidden behind his phone and his eyes still focused on the screen. 

“Virge, darkling, please? It’s kinda important.” The moment Virgil looked up he was looking into Roman’s big blue puppy eyes. Virgil could also see the small dent in Roman’s cheek that meant that Roman was gnawing on the inside of his cheeks again, something he often did when he was nervous or unsure about something. Seeing this Virgil turned off his phone screen and put his phone on his lap thigh with the screen turned to his leg, giving Roman his full attention.

“What’s up?” He asked, trying to not give into the nervous voice in the back of his head that kept telling him that if Roman was nervous about telling him this, it probably wasn’t something he wanted to hear. 

“Uhm... well...” This was already going very different than how Roman had planned this in his head. In his head Roman was thinking of a big confession of everlasting love, followed by going on his knee and asking Virgil to be his forever. But right now with Virgil in front of him, he couldn’t do it. Not like that at least. He wasn’t even sure why he had thought that would work in the first place as it would probably overwhelm Virgil too much. Speaking of Virgil, he was looking in Roman’s eyes expectingly and Roman couldn’t make him wait on him any longer. Here goes nothing... or well... everything. “You know that I love you right?” 

Virgil visually cringed hearing that, it almost never meant anything good. Somehow it made him think of the first bootleg musical he had watched with Roman in this very room. It was at the beginning of that musical that the two lovers were singing a song about their love and their life and how everything would change once the man left for Harvard and the woman stayed in Malibu. The woman thought that meant that the man would propose to her, while the man was trying to let her down easy. Virgil couldn’t remember what the musical was called. It had been four years after all. Oh god! Was Roman breaking up with him?! It would make sense... how would their love remain strong if they were both living their own lives on different ends of the east coast! 

Roman saw the panic in his boyfriend’s eyes and quickly realized his mistake. “No, no it’s true! I love you, Virge. Like very, very much!” This caused the emo to blush. He wasn’t wearing any make up so the red easily showed up on his tanned skin. “And I want to keep loving you, even when we are far apart.” Roman could hear Virgil release a breath of relief. “I want to promise you that I will keep loving you no matter what. And... well... what I am trying to ask here... is for you to do the same. Virgil...” Roman slowly slid off the couch and reached for the ring box in the pocket of his baseball jacket. “Will you marry me?”


	3. Home, heart and dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh... I’m sorry?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! 
> 
> Have some conflicted Prinxiety on this fine evening, night, morning, afternoon.

“Will you marry me?”

Time stood still for a moment as Virgil‘s breath got knocked out of his chest. Roman wanted to marry him? Roman had proposed to him the day before they were going to be separated for a long amount of time. Virgil hadn’t even told him yet! He had to say something now, right? Probably. Yes, he had to speak up now. If Roman kept looking at him like that he might explode. 

“Ro, I... we...” Roman started wondering what Virgil was doing. He understood that Virgil needed some time, especially with his unusual way of thinking, but all he had to say was yes! So why was he stuttering so much right no, saying everything but yes! Roman could hear Virgil take a deep breaths before finding the words to continue. “We can’t do this, Ro. Not now. Not with everything that’s going to change, right in front of us.”

Virgil’s words were met with silence as for once the actor who always had a comeback, had none. It took a while for either of them to speak and by then the atmosphere around them had changed. It was no longer relaxed and safe. It was awkward, hesitant, afraid that every word they would say from this moment on would break the thin ice they were standing on right now. One wrong word and this could end up in a fight. A few right words and not much would change. Roman could always ask again when Virgil had enough money to move to New York and they could start building up a sort of stable life together. 

“What are you scared of Virge?” Roman eventually settled on saying. To anyone else this might sound condescending or maybe even angry or fed up, but somehow it was said lovingly. It was something Roman had been asking for a long time, about a lot of things, some sort of secret code between them. Anytime Roman thought that Virgil let his anxiety take to much control and Virgil seemed to be stuck in his own mind, Roman would bring him back by asking him what he was scared of and Virgil would always answer. 

“I’m scared... that we can’t keep this up.” Virgil sighed eventually. “You are going to New York, and you’re going to meet a lot of new people, who will all love you as you are an annoyingly lovable person. What if you meet someone else?” Virgil laid his hands on Roman’s thigh, looking straight into his eyes. “Someone who can be there with you and who can hug you every night and encourage you to follow your dreams, instead of tying you to where you have already been.”

“That’s why I want this. As a promise that we will stick together and as a reminder of our love, for every time some foul villain tries to seduce one of us. A reminder that we’re already bound to someone else.” Roman hoped that explaining his way of thinking would encourage Virgil to choose with his heart and say yes.

“Don’t let yourself be bound by a piece of metal Princey. Especially not to me.” Sarcasm, pure sad sarcasm. An old defense mechanism that both Virgil and Roman knew all to well. Virgil was anxious, to be expected when it comes to making big life decisions.

“Why Virgil? I know you love me, and you should know by now that I love you too, with whole my heart! Without you my heart will give out and I’ll be forced to life without the beating in my chest for eternity.” 

“You’d be dead, you overdramatic idiot.” More sarcasm, Virgil was on a roll right now. 

“Please Virge. Why don’t you want to at least try it. We don’t have to tell anyone until you’ve made arrangements to come after me and live in New York with me!” Roman did his best to convince Virgil, but he almost started to believe it was a lost cost.

“Because I’m not going to New York!” Virgil had been pondering over this decision for a while now, but when he finally voiced it to Roman he knew he had to say it quickly, just like ripping of a bandaid, not leaving Roman and himself in suspense any longer. Virgil had made up his mind. 

All of Roman’s plans for the future came crashing down after hearing that one sentence. “But... we... You always said that...” he couldn’t even form a coherent sentence anymore. This night was playing out so differently than the both of them had respectively planned.

“I know what I said... but I just can’t okay?!” Virgil started crying, no longer able to keep his stupid emotions in track. “When I moved here from Italy, after a long drive with my disappointed great aunt, who was going on a family trip to France, and after several boat trips over the Atlantic ocean. It was the scariest thing I had ever done in my sort of adult life. But I did it, because I hoped I would feel at home here, in the place where I grew up. And I do! I don’t want to lose the connection I have with this place. I can’t build my life up another time. And I don’t want that to hold you down.” Virgil was full on sobbing now, his speech randomly interrupted by hiccups. 

“When... when were you going to tell me all this?” Roman asked. His voice just above a whisper.

“I... I didn’t... I wasn’t sure... Roman, you should know that there is nothing I want more than to spend as long as you want me to with you. But I can’t move to New York. And I know that that’s the place where your dreams are. I don’t... can’t keep you here. I...” 

“Shh, shhh. Please Virgil, darkling, stop crying. We’ll figure something out. We always have, right?” He didn’t mean to, but Roman couldn’t keep the disappointment out of his voice. This was a lot of unexpected information for him to take in, in a very short amount of time. He was supposed to leave for Orlando tomorrow, where his parents would wave him goodbye as he would board the plane. He would have flown from Miami, but he really wanted to see his parents before he went away to an entirely different state and they couldn’t make it in time for the early morning flight, that was the last available one for that day. 

The rest of the evening was spent holding each other close, for what might be the last time in at least a year. Neither of them wanted to think about what would happen after that night anymore. Virgil had fallen asleep on the couch as usual and Roman had carried him to bed. How long was Roman going to have to miss his little storm cloud that looked so cute when he slept? 

The next morning, while Virgil was still asleep, Roman was already packing his things. He had basically moved in with Virgil after college, turning Virgil’s apartment a lot more ‘Pinterest’ as Virgil called it. Roman really had to remind Virgil to water the plants, before he left. Under the light of the fairy lights Roman packed his clothes away in a suitcase. He hesitated when he reached the baseball jacket he was wearing yesterday. His hands feeling over the soft fabric of the jacket Virgil had bought him for his birthday last month. He felt the embroidered R on the chest, the striped color, the zipper, the inside of the... pockets... he quickly put the jacket away and continued grabbing clothes until his suitcase was almost flowing over. It was time to wake Virgil up... and possibly leave for good. No. They would get through this! He knew they would. Somehow.

“Virge? I have to leave in 30 minutes. Would you please wake up before 9 AM for me? It will be the only time I will ask you to do this. Please?” A groan was the only reaction Roman got. It was disappointing, for about the 10 seconds it took for Virgil to get out of bed and hug Roman from behind. He had been getting better in initiating physical contact, but under different circumstances this would still be a rarity. One that both men would treasure for the months they would be apart. 

“I’m going to miss you.” Virgil sighed in Roman’s neck

“I’ll be here every possibility I get.”

“Ro...”

“You’re not holding me back from reaching my dreams V. You are part of them.”

“Sap” 

“Emo dream”

Unfortunately for them 30 minutes passed by too quickly and soon Roman had to get into his car and start the journey to his parents house, only to get into their car and drive to the airport. Both men were left with a heavy heart. They were finally achieving their respective goals, but at the same time those goals were somehow drifting them apart. 

Will a four year relationship be enough for them to overcome the distance between them? They didn’t know. And if they were honest neither of them wanted to think about it right now. Only time can tell. Let’s hope that they have enough of that time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this sad kind of chapter... well I’m not really sorry, because it was necessary, but still sorry if you expected this to be less sad.


	4. Ro has joined the party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new character is introduced at the airport of Orlando. Who are they? And more importantly... what’s going on?!

“Your name is Daniel/le.” An ominous voice said out of nowhere. It sounded like the way a bold font looked, or like someone in a movie trailer said it. Of course it was common information for Daniel/le what their name was. So they weren’t quite sure why the weird voice would tell them that. It may be a bit weird to have a / in their name, but it’s just... sometimes they feel like Daniel and sometimes they feel like Danielle. Right now they felt like neither, and yet both at the same time, so they were Daniel/le. Still they didn’t need a creepy voice to tell them that. 

They were at the airport in Orlando. Waiting for their flight to New York. Passing security had gone by in a blur. Like it had only been a montage showing the highlights, like dropping off their suitcase, having their passport checked and going to security. Now they were standing at the gate, the shopping area behind them closed off somehow and only the foodcourt and other passengers to entertain them. 

It was quiet, almost eerily so. There were about ten passengers and a few people working for the airport, standing at the gate. What was even weirder was that they didn’t seem to be moving? Like for some reason they were all just standing there. Some of them were even staring at them. Daniel/le started to feel uncomfortable. Being gender fluid, sure meant they often got stares, but not like this. It was almost as if the stares were hollow, like there was no real person behind them, like the other people in the room were just mannequins. 

Their feet sprinted towards the toilets, where they were forced to choose between the female and male side. Daniel/le who was born a girl, decided to chose for the female side, as it was generally cleaner in there and since there were so little people, there was no line. 

Daniel/le looked at the mirror and saw their reflection. It was them. They were staring right back into their own eyes. They could see the plain red shirt and the boring blue jeans they were wearing. It wasn’t an interesting outfit, but Daniel/le chose to believe they had picked it as an easy travel outfit. After looking at themself for a while Daniel/le’s eyes started to scan the sink. Why were they doing this? They quietly thought to themselves. Did they expect to find something in here? Wait there was something in there! How could they have missed it when they entered the bathroom?!

In the sink lay a pocketknife. How the hell did this get past airport security?! Daniel/le thought. They only allow you to take those things with you in the luggage that you don’t have on you. Nobody should be able to bring this in here. Nevertheless for some reason they picked it up. Why? They weren’t sure, maybe they could give it to someone from security? They could also keep it of course, you never know when a tool like that could come in handy. 

Daniel/le looked at the trash bin, the toilet stalls and the soap dispenser, before realizing there was nothing interesting to look at left in the bathroom. They sprinted back to the gate, not sure why they kept running, it was not like the plane would arrive sooner, if they got to the gate quicker. They weren’t keeping the plane from departing, but still... walking just seemed... to slow?

When they left the bathroom, the other passengers still didn’t seem to have moved. Wondering what was going on, Daniel/le decided to ask someone. They asked a young man with brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a white t-shirt with red and gold stripes on it and light denim jeans. A brown jacket was hanging over one of their shoulders. Wow that man had put a lot more effort in his traveling outfit then Daniel/le had, they thought, before standing in front of the man, wondering what to say. 

“Hello there!” The man beat Daniel/le in getting the first word. 

“Uhm hi?” Why was this awkward? Daniel/le was the one walking up to the stranger, they should know what to say! “Do you know what’s going on here?” 

“Well we’re waiting for them to tell us that we can board the plane of course!” The man chuckled as if he didn’t realize how strange everyone was behaving. On the other hand, the man had been behaving just as strange as the rest of the people in this airport, just seconds ago. 

Daniel/le thought of the knife they had found in the bathroom. Maybe they should ask the stranger if they had any idea what to do with it. They were about to ask when they realized a critical mistake in their actions. Instead of just grabbing the knife and holding it out for his fellow passenger to see, they flippin’ stabbed the dude in his stomach! How?! Why?! What the flip flap happened?! Oh god the man was bleeding now! What should Daniel/le do?! Why is everyone around them just standing still?! Why is nobody helping?! The man fell to his knees and Daniel/le was pretty sure he was going to die if nobody did anything. 

Daniel’le looked at the pocket knife. It was laying in the sink. Should they take it? Yes. Should they stab a fellow passenger? No. Daniel/le grabbed the knife and exited the bathroom, this time without looking at the trash, the stalls and the soap, knowing there was nothing interesting there. 

Deciding not to be too bothered about their strange daydream, or day nightmare, in which they almost killed a man, Daniel/le walked through the gate. Everyone was still standing eerily still, but they didn’t even notice anymore as they made their way to the sign announcing when the flight would depart. The sooner they got out of this airport the better! 

“Hello there!” The sudden voice scared Daniel/le. Not only because it seemed to have come out of nowhere, but also because it was the exact same voice as the one in their daydream! Okay Daniel/le whatever you do, don’t stab the man!

“Uhm hi?” The conversation seemed to be playing out exactly as it did last time, just hopefully a little less stabby. When the man once again remained silent after their greating, Daniel/le spoke up. They could have asked them the same thing as they did in the dream, but somehow they expected the same answer, so they asked where the stranger was headed. 

“I’m off to New York, to make my dreams come true!” The man told Daniel/le enthusiastically. 

“Cool, I’m going to New York too.” Daniel/le told the man. It was nice talking to someone as animated as the stranger in front of them, at least now they didn’t think about the strange behavior of everybody else around them. Daniel/le wondered what the stranger’s name would be and was about to ask it when the Stranger spoke up instead.

“I’m Ro by the way. What’s your name?” 

“Daniel/le, with a forward slash.” Daniel/le answered. 

“A forward slash?” Daniel/le could understand that Ro probably thought it was weird that parents would use signs in their children’s names. Like in an online game, where the names without numbers and dashes were already taken. They giggled thinking off stupid multiplayer names for themself and Ro. 

“Yeah, between the two l’s, I’m often Daniel or Danielle, but today I’m neither.” Daniel/le was happily surprised when they saw no disgust flashing on Ro’s face after hearing that. 

“So... today you’re non-binary?” Ro asked, he had probably remembered reading the name somewhere on the internet, but Daniel/le was still impressed that he knew it and wasn’t mean about it.

“Yup. But I’m gender fluid all of the time, so to be honest I could be anything, when we land in New York.” Why were they spilling their life story to this complete stranger?

A loud ‘ding’ sounded through the gate followed by a woman’s voice telling the passengers that the plane would now start boarding. 

“We should probably get going.” Ro said with a bright smile. “It was nice talking to you, but New York doesn’t wait for anyone!” 

“Wait! What row are you on?” Daniel/le for some reason didn’t feel like they were done talking to this Ro person.

“Uh” Ro chaotically searched his bag for his boarding pass. Triumphantly holding it up into the air once he had found it. “Row six seat A.” He read from the ticket. 

“Cool, I’m row six seat B, so I guess we’re neighbors.”

“We are going to be the best of friends!” Ro chuckled before pulling Daniel/le with him towards the line. 

‘Ro has joined the party’ Daniel/le randomly thought, before they boarded the plane. Well... At least they would have some company on the plane, and who knows. Maybe they could actually be friends?


	5. A horrible, horrible noise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How are Roman and Virgil dealing with the fact that they’re miles away from each other? 
> 
> Considering Virgil’s anxiety, it might seems strange, but the answer is phone calls.

Something was making a horrible, horrible noise. It was high pitched and ringing. It sounded something like... like a phone? Virgil was still laying in bed, half asleep, trying to figure out where the noise came from, as he always kept his phone on silent mode. It had to be a phone as he definitely hadn’t turned his alarm on in ages. Ugh why did that stupid thing keep ringing?! Well there was only one thing Virgil could do about it.

“Ro. Phone.” No answer from Roman and the phone kept ringing. Just like a distant thought in Virgil’s mind that tried to tell him why the phone was ringing in the first place and why Roman wouldn’t pick up. However Virgil wasn’t awake enough for that thought yet. “Ro, pick up your damn phone! ...Roman?” Virgil finally lifted his head off his pillow to look at the empty space next to him. Why wasn’t Roman next to him? Slowly but surely it dawned on him that Roman wasn’t there, which also meant that it wasn’t Roman’s phone that was ringing. It was Virgil’s! 

Virgil jumped out of bed reaching for his phone, that he kept on a dresser that was placed next to an outlet and way to far away from his bed. He ripped the phone off the charger, but the ringing stopped just before he could answer. Should he call back? Should he let them call back? He should probably check who called him first. But then again, if it was really important they would call back right? Virgil’s finger hovered over the phone app for a while, his anxiety stopping him from pressing it in fear of not wanting to call the person back right away and losing the notification, which meant he would probably forget calling the person back all together. 

Virgil had no more time to think about his dilemma however as the phone started ringing again. Apparently it was important enough to call again after like not even a minute. Virgil was peeved for a second, by the impatience of the person calling him until he saw ‘Princey <3’ was the caller ID. Roman was calling him. Roman, who wasn’t laying next to him as he woke up. Roman who was in New York. Roman who had called Virgil last night as soon as the plane had landed and had talked forever about the people he saw at the airport and in the plane. Roman who had promised he would call again as soon as he could. Roman who dared to call Virgil at nine in the morning. But most importantly, it was Roman. His boyfriend Roman. 

“How dare you.” Virgil stated as he answered his phone. 

“Come on Hot Topic, you can’t stay in bed all day! Seize the day! Go out for a walk! Read a book!” Roman said enthusiastically. He clearly expected to wake Virgil up with his call. 

“You know who you’re talking to, right?” Virgil bit back in fake annoyance.

“But of course! I wouldn’t call anyone else the embodiment of an emo chain store.” Roman chuckled. Both because of his boyfriend’s reaction and because of the looks he was getting from his roommate Tyler, who was sitting across from him at the dining table. 

“You’re lucky you’re in New York, Princey.” 

“And why is that, Darkling?” More strange looks from his roommate. Roman should probably show them a picture of Virgil to explain all this after his phone call.

“It means I can’t kill you for waking me up before noon.”

“I’m glad to hear you at least slept.” Roman admitted, after deciding not to respond by saying Virgil loved him to much to do that. “I wasn’t sure you would after our call last night.”

“I’m just glad neither of us is getting on a plane again anytime soon.” Virgil sighed. He had had a panic attack yesterday, after he realized that Roman’s plane had took off and was somewhere high up in the air. He couldn’t lose Roman the same way he had lost his parents! Luckily Patton and Logan had seen it coming from a mile away and had invited Virgil over to distract him and to calm him down in case the attack was so bad he couldn’t get out of it himself. 

“Told you it would be fine.” Roman smiled softly as he said that, not that Virgil could see. 

“Yeah, you did.” His expression matched Roman’s neither of them knowing it did. 

“I mean it though Virgil. Go do something fun and leave the house today. Do it for me as I’ll be stuck in a meeting room for the read throughs until five and Amy said we’re probably gonna get Pizza with the cast afterwards, to get to know each other.”

“Okay Ro, maybe I’ll do something ‘fun’ today, just so I can tell you what the outside world is like, but stop pretending that you don’t like doing read throughs.” Both men laughed, knowing just how right Virgil “Wait. Who’s Amy?” 

“Oh she’s part of the cast and she’s also my roommate, together with Lulu and Tyler. We all came from out of state, so we decided to room together, remember?”

“Yeah I do, but you never told me any names.” Virgil said accusingly.

“Well maybe I didn’t want them to end up in your new book” Roman quickly bounced back.

“I don’t use names from people I know in my stories and thereby who says my current book is good enough that I get to write a second one?”

“Whatever you say, Virge! And I’m sure people will love your book! I know I did when I read it!” 

“You’ve actually finished it?!” Virgil was surprised. Sure he had sent Roman the manuscript once it was finished, but he had never expected Roman to actually read more than a few chapters. He didn’t even expect others would, if he was completely honest. Why did he want to become a writer again? Why hadn’t he just chosen a more stable career?

“Yes Virgil, I actually have the attention span to finish reading a book.” That wasn’t what Virgil meant with that statement and Roman knew that, but he rather pretended that he didn’t understand why Virgil was surprised that someone would actually read his entire book. “And I loved it by the way!” 

“Thanks...”

“Anyway I have to go now, can’t miss the first rehearsal now can I?”

“Break a leg Ro.” 

“As long as you don’t” Roman chuckled at his own response. “Have a good day, Virgil!” 

“You too.”

“I’ll probably call you again sometime after eight o'clock. I want to know all the adventures you went on today!”

“You know I’m not the creative, adventurous type.”

“You wrote a thriller and you play guitar and you’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met.”

“Roman...” Virgil tried to tell Roman that he was one hundred percent wrong about that last statement. After all, if Virgil was really that brave, he would have gone to New York with Roman. He didn’t get the chance to say it however as Roman spoke up again.

“But now I really have to hang up! Talk to you later!”

“Yeah, laterz.” 

Roman hung up, leaving Virgil alone again. The latter was staring at his phone, quickly opening the phone app to see that the missed call was indeed from Roman, so he didn’t have to worry about the unopened notification for the rest of the day. He had something bigger to worry about now. What the hell was he going to do today to tell Roman about tonight?!


	6. Girl/boyfriend struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman and friends and Virgil and friends dealing with Ro and V being apart from each other (the early days version)

“You call your girlfriend Hot Topic and darkling? Didn’t see you as the type who would date the goth girl.” Tyler remarked as Roman answered his call with Virgil. Welp, Roman wasn’t exactly expecting to come out to his roommates this fast, but they were all actors so they should be used to this. Because the gay actor might be a stereotype, in Roman’s case it was very much a reality. 

“Well, they are not really my girlfriend.” Roman said awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He was about to say that Virgil was his boyfriend instead when Tyler spoke up again. 

“Not your girlfriend?! Are you kidding me, the way you speak about with her is positively adorable!” At that moment Amy and Lulu walked into the kitchen. “Come on girls, you’ve heard the man talk to his girl on the phone right? He’s here trying to convince me it’s not his girlfriend!”

“Pfff! I don’t believe it for a second!” Lulu giggled. 

“I heard him talk to her yesterday at the airport, those two are totally in love! If you’re not together yet you should totally ask her out!” Amy decided to add to the conversation.

“No, no guys, you don’t understand! Virgil is...” A plan started to form in Roman’s mind. “wait I can show you!” Roman let his phone scan his finger to get past the lock screen and opened the ‘pictures’ app. 

“You’ve got her picture on your phone? You’re totally in love!” Tyler said as soon as he realized what Roman was doing. Roman in the meantime kept scrolling until he found the picture he had been thinking of. He had a lot of pictures, but not that many had Virgil in them, as Virgil didn’t like people taking pictures of him. And who could blame the kid after he was bombarded by the media at the age of ten? 

“Well duh, I never said I wasn’t it’s just...” defended his love for Virgil as he finally found the picture he was looking for. 

“It’s just?” All of his new roommates said, practically at the same time.

“Virgil isn’t my girlfriend, as HE’s my boyfriend.” Roman grinned from ear to ear as he proudly showed his roommates and fellow cast members a picture of Virgil sitting cross legged with the body of his guitar between his legs and his head lightly leaning against the headstock. Virgil had been mad at Roman for that picture, because he had snuck a picture of him while he was debating his life choices after he had tuned his guitar only to realize there was not a single song he wanted to play, but he still wanted to play something. But Roman just couldn’t help it as Virgil had looked so cute and strangely calm and at ease from just holding the instrument. Even though according to Virgil he wasn’t calm at all and had just once again realized the uselessness of existence. Roman knew however that even if Virgil really didn’t feel like playing anything anymore, his mood would usually still increase by interacting with his beloved instrument. 

Thereby Virgil being slightly mad at Roman caused him to be inspired to play the most emo songs he could think of just to annoy Roman for a bit. So in the end it was a win win. Roman had a cute picture to add to his ‘sneaked pictures, because the dark knight doesn’t like being photographed’ folder and Virgil was finally motivated to play some songs. 

“Okay, yeah, makes sense.” Amy said as both Amy and Lulu nodded.

“Dude couldn’t you like just say that from the beginning?!” Tyler asked a little peeved that he had been jumping to conclusions again. Something he did way too often. 

“Well, to be fair you didn’t really give him a chance too!” Lulu laughed.

“Anyway I’m glad I was notified of this new information! For it means I will have more chance with the beautiful ladies in this cast!” Tyler grinned mischievously as he made his grand statement.

“Oh please!” Both Amy and Lulu said at the same time, while looking at Tyler as if he wouldn’t stand a chance with anyone. Even though he was quite attractive.

“Who said I was talking about you two?” All four of them laughed before they went back to grabbing their things for the first read through. As they left their apartment Roman smiled to himself. He might have moved far away from the ones he loves, but at least he can already feel that this cast would form one big family together of hard working actors that were just as adventurous and outgoing as Roman was. 

Back in Florida Virgil had decided to go to his uncles’ bookstore as he knew his best friend Mari would be there by now. Since the two had parted ways many years ago, Mari had been coming to the store every single day in the hopes of seeing her best friend again. And since it had become a habit she remained doing that even after she was reunited with Virgil. The owners quickly realized that Mari knew the entire layout of the store and was helping other costumers when the two men were busy. Eventually when ‘Logicality Bookstore’ was no longer in financial problems, thanks to it’s gained popularity after the many events organized by Virgil, Mari and Roman, Logan and Patton decided to offer Mari a job so she could earn some money while she was still in college. So Virgil knew he could find her there.

Virgil walked into the store, immediately feeling at home with the familiar blue, black and white interior around him. He saw Mari sit behind the register which usually meant that both Logan and Patton were in the back, or that one was out. Perfect. 

“Well hello there Marinka Wade!” Virgil said rather loudly as he pushed himself on top of the desk at one of the only empty spots on the right of Mari. 

“What’s gotten into you!” Mari hissed as she had seen Virgil enter, but this was not the behavior she had expected from her sarcastic but timid and from anxiety suffering friend. 

“Good morning to you too.” This made Mari look at the clock. Virgil was in the store, at 11 in the morning! Virgil was out of bed before noon! 

“Okay. Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?!” She giggled as Virgil rolled his eyes. There was nobody in the store apart from them and after his conversation with Roman earlier, he was in a silly, adventurous mood. And most importantly, even if it just for a moment, he felt like they could work out this being apart from each other thing. 

“Someone told me to get out of bed and do something with my miserable life for once.” He shrugged before grabbing the cuffs of his hoodie and pulling them halfway over his hands.

“Ahh there you are.” Mari chuckled as she got up to stand in front of her best friend “And get off the desk, as I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed up there.”

“I know the owners.” Virgil said nonchalantly not moving from where he was sitting, but shooting Mari a challenging gaze. 

“Seriously Virge, get off the desk before anyone sees you!” Virgil had never seen Mari this serious about any of the part time jobs she had had. However he knew that he wouldn’t be getting her in trouble as the owners were some of the most important people in his life! And more importantly they were family and they wouldn’t get actually mad at Virgil for sitting on furniture. To be fair, he had done worse things. 

“Why is it for employees only?” Virgil said as he jumped back to his feet and went to stand next to Mari. Another challenge from Virgil and Mari was sure to take this one head on. 

“Maybe it is!” She shot back as she took the place on the desk previously occupied by Virgil’s butt. (This is like my new favorite sentence I’ve ever written.)

“Mari, please refrain from sitting on the register desk, as it is highly unprofessional.” Logan suddenly spoke up as he moved from the doorframe he was standing in. Apparently he had just left the back office to stretch his legs a bit. The fact that he had been standing there listening in on their conversation for a bit is something that he would never tell the young adults in front of him.

“Wha... hey! I... I didn’t want... It’s Virgil’s fault!” Mari sputtered in disbelief before she could see the small mischievous glimmer in Logan’s eyes similar to Patton’s before he thinks of a great pun. It was just fun and games, nobody was in trouble.

“Ah it seems like the infamous author that refuses to sit on a chair, like normal people do, has returned once again.” Logan said, acknowledging Virgil for the first time since he made his presence known.

“Was that supposed to be a sarcastic joke coming from Logan Sanders?!” Virgil gasped in a manner similar to that of a certain Prince.

“In all seriousness Virgil. Do you ever go to an environment in which you feel comfortable and simply sit on a chair, instead of several pieces of furniture that are not meant to be sat on and the floor?” Virgil would answer Logan’s question truthfully and say something about the weight of the world being to much and weighing him down until he was too busy to think about what was and wasn’t a chair, but Mari answered before he could.

“He does when Roman is around!” she said grinning, before realizing that Virgil might not like being reminded that Roman has gone away for a while. “Oh shit sorry, Virge! I didn’t mean to...”

“Relax Mari, I’m doing good. I’m starting to feel like this long distance thing can actually work out. Roman just called me this morning and he’ll call me again tonight. Maybe... maybe we can actually get through this.”

“That is, until you move after him to New York?” Logan inquired, to see if he was right about the theory slowly building in his mind.

“Heh, yeah... or... never mind.” Virgil responded awkwardly, confirming all Logan’s theories.


	7. I am afraid that it will not last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some concerned uncles talk about the love birds being separated.
> 
> It’s weird, everyone seems to take it a lot harder than the couple in question.... or do they?
> 
> AKA Logicality worrying over Prinxiety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honest confession time. 
> 
> I know where I want to go with this story, but I also think that so far it’s really messy, because I’m just trying to get everything out so I can quickly get to writing the big climax... 
> 
> So... I guess sorry for that...  
> But please keep reading, as it will get better! I promise!

Logan, Mari and Virgil continued to chat for a while until some more customers started to fill the store. That’s when Logan decided to let Mari take the rest of the day off to go with Virgil, and maybe he had written down in his administration to give Mari her full salary for the day. Because let’s be honest here, he might seem stoic and uncaring to an outsider, but underneath the serious glasses and necktie, he had a heart of gold and would do anything for his family and friends, as long as it was a somewhat logical thing to do.

“Mari, I’m back, so I’ll takeover on the register. Could you check with Logan if he... oh hey Logan!” Patton was very surprised to see his husband sit in behind the register, as Logan was usually in the back and thereby Mari was nowhere to be seen. “Uhm... not that I’m not very happy to see you leave the backroom every once in a while, but where’s Mari?”

“Oh I gave her the rest of the day off.” Logan shrugged as if it was no big deal. He didn’t expect Patton to doubt his decision, but he probably should have expected his husband to be worried as to why Mari suddenly got a day off. And not just a day off, Logan, the workaholic LOGAN, had given her a day off. 

“Why? Is she sick? Did she have a family emergency? Did someBODY DIE?!” Patton couldn’t think of any other situations Logan would let her go for. He should have seen in Logan’s body language that it was no big deal, but sometimes Logan got really distant if something bad had happened and then it would just look like he didn’t care. 

“Patton, dear, please calm down.” Logan walked from behind the desk to lay his hands on his husband’s shoulders. “Shoulders down.” He said as he softly pushed on Patton’s shoulders to get him to calm down a little. “nothing bad has happened to Mari or her family.”

“Phew, you scared me for a second there, Lo.” Patton took a moment to collect himself before rephrasing his previous question. “Why did you give her the rest of the day off, then?” It definitely wasn’t something that Logan would just do if she asked for it without having a good reason. 

“Virgil showed up to annoy her at work. He was just going to distract her from doing her work anyway.” Patton looked at his husband expectantly, knowing that there must have been something else going on here. “And perhaps I thought Virgil might have needed someone to distract him for a bit too. Can you please stop looking at me like that now Patton.” 

“Ah okay...” Patton nodded in understanding, before he suddenly thought about something. “Wait!”he said before keeping his mouth shut and recalling what he had been doing before he came back to the store. 

“I am waiting.” Logan chuckled as he could see the gears in Patton’s head turning, but Patton remained quiet. 

“How long was I out? I could have sworn I left the print store at around eleven thirty.” 

“You are probably correct.” Logan agreed with Patton after he confirmed the time with his watch. 

“So you’re saying that Virgil, our nephew Virgil, was up and about before noon, while he had no obligation to be somewhere?! To who or whatever got him out of bed... I’m impressed... and maybe a tiny bit jealous.” 

“That would be Roman.” Patton gaze turned somber for a split second as he thought about how much his nephew would probably miss his boyfriend right now. And it had just been one day! 

“Is he okay?” He asked hopefully.

“I haven’t seen him this happy and energized since... he was a child.” Logan caught up to his brain just in time before he could say ‘since the crash’. Unfortunately for him it was very noticeable that he had wanted to say something else and it didn’t take much for Patton to figure out what it was his husband had wanted to say. 

“Well... that’s a good thing... right?” Sure Patton thought it was a little weird that Virgil seemed to be happier than when Roman still lived close to him, but maybe the distance had only made there love stronger! In like one day... maybe that was a bit of a stretch, but a happy Virgil should be a good thing.

“I think he’s trying to convince himself that he’s perfectly fine without Roman.” Logan took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes and the bridge of his nose. A clear sign that he had been thinking about this for a while and that this was the only Logical, but not the preferred, solution.

“You don’t think he is?”

“I believe he is doing alright for now.” Logan said as he put his glasses back on his face so he wouldn’t have to look at a blurry version of Patton while having a serious conversation.

“But?” Patton knew that Logan must have had more to say about it, as otherwise he wouldn’t have brought it up like this. 

“However I am afraid that it will not last.”

“How so?”

“They have been apart for a little over 24 hours now and Roman has already called Virgil twice and has promised to call Virgil again tonight... What if he can’t keep that up? Rehearsals are only going to get more time consuming. Thereby an elongated time apart from each other will most certainly lead to a decrease in overall communication.” 

“I’m sure they can both handle not being able to talk to each other every single day, Lo.” Patton said to reassure his husband. “And they only have to keep this up until Virgil’s book becomes the success we all know it will be and he can move to New York too! I’m sure that once they are both settled there they will have their own little happy ending!”

“That is if he plans to move to York at all.” Logan countered with something Patton hadn’t even thought about.

“You don’t think he is?” He asked confused.

“He was very evasive about it.” Both of them knew what that meant. They knew Virgil too well for it meaning anything else. 

“You think Roman knows?”

“Yes.” Logan said with a sad certainty. He knew that Virgil must have told Roman. Otherwise Virgil wouldn’t have been so happy about getting a call from Roman after ‘all that had happened’. Virgil had been really vague about what exactly had happened, but Logan knew. And he knew how it had gone too, because otherwise Virgil would have looked just the slightest bit different today. Logan knew but he wouldn’t tell Patton. This was something between Virgil and Roman and they would have to figure it out together. 

Now normally Logan wasn’t one for secrets and lies of omission, but maybe he had been keeping something from Patton for a while. Something concerning a certain Prince asking him for help with something a few weeks back. Something he had hesitantly agreed to doing. Something involving ‘borrowing’ one of Virgil’s rings.


	8. Tommy Cooper (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Roman talk over skype and really need to have a good think about their futures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop whoop! Bet you weren’t expecting an update on this fic right now.
> 
> Funnily enough this chapter had been almost complete for the longest time, but I just wasn’t really sure what to do with it... but now I was so I finally finished it!

Luckily for Virgil, Logan appeared to be wrong as after two months the contact between Roman and Virgil hadn’t decreased in the slightest. They tried to call each other... well Roman called Virgil, two times a day and they would Skype at least twice every week. Yet during this two months of being apart, Virgil’s anxiety had started to slowly nibble it’s way into his every thought and feeling. Like Roman’s words were no longer enough to convince him that they could keep up with this long term long distance relationship. Not that he was about to tell Roman that! If there was one thing Virgil didn’t want Roman to do it was giving up on his dreams to live an ordinary, safe, forgettable and unfulfilling life in Florida with him. That... that just wasn’t Roman and it could never be Roman. No matter how much Virgil wanted him to be, while at the same time he didn’t want him to be like that at all, as that wouldn’t be Roman anymore. 

Virgil’s mind was driving him crazy with his reasoning running in circles through his mind. He was waiting for the ringing of a Skype video call to sound from his laptop standing across the room from him. Roman was late. He knew Roman could be late today as they had had their first dress rehearsal in the theatre itself, which probably meant there had to be some adjustments made, which will cause the rehearsal to take longer than usual. Virgil understood that, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He felt tears building up in his eyes with every minute that passed and he really didn’t want the first thing Roman saw after, a for him very excited day, to be his boyfriend crying for stupid reasons that he wasn’t even sure he could explain, if Roman asked about it. 

His phone vibrated in his hands as a WhatsApp message popped up at the top, a message from Roman. This was it... Roman was going to cancel their Skype session for today. More tears formed in Virgil’s eyes, which made it a little more difficult to read the actual message. He quickly wiped his eyes, carefully as to avoid smudging his eyeshadow. 

Princey <3: hey V! Is it alright if I Skype you from my dressing room? 

Okay this was not what Virgil was expecting. Why would he do that? Did something happen at the theatre? Is Roman not allowed to leave? Before Virgil could type out any of these thoughts he got another message.

Princey <3: It will be at least another 30 minutes before I can be back at the apartment. 

Relief, it would get quite late if Roman got back to his apartment before Skyping Virgil and Virgil would definitely worry if he didn’t notify him of the delay.

Princey <3: And I just can’t wait to see you again!

More relief. Roman actually still wanted to see him and talk to him. It should be obvious to Virgil by now, but it was still nice to be reminded of it now and then. 

Princey <3: It is possible that other cast members interrupt us tho.

Worry. Not that they would be doing any risky things but still. Their conversation were usually a bit more private.

Princey <3: I totally understand if you don’t want that of course!

Relief. He still cares about Virgil’s feelings and fears. Why was Virgil even thinking that he wouldn’t? Was he really expecting Roman to be a bad boyfriend? No, the only bad boyfriend was Virgil himself. 

Princey <3: Not trying to pressure you into doing something you don’t want!

Virgil couldn’t take it anymore, all the worries, fears and love in his body calling out to him to answer Roman. And he did. He stood up, grabbed his laptop, sat down on the floor with his back to the wall and pressed the ‘start video call’ button on his Skype. 

In New York Roman was waiting for a text back from Virgil. Why hadn’t Virgil even opened his texts yet? Virgil was always on his phone! Especially if he was expecting Roman to call or text him and the delay with the Skype call should have totally made Virgil glued stuck to his phone for a message from Roman. Roman sighed lost in his thoughts until the voice of his cast mate Tyler broke him out of it. 

“Hey, you still gonna pick that up? You’re laptop has been ringing for a while.” Tyler said from the doorway still dry cleaning his hair after just taking a shower, but fully dressed in his casual clothes as he was walking in the hallways of the backstage area

Roman looked at his laptop screen and to his amazement saw that he had an incoming video call from Virgil. Meaning Virgil actually called someone in a non emergency! They should totally celebrate that once they are together agai... never mind. 

“Storm cloud! YOU called ME for once!” Roman couldn’t keep his excitement out of his voice 

“Hey there Princey. Tyler.” Virgil acknowledged the two on his screen, hoping one of them would leave... quickly.

“Sup vampire, anyway I should get going.” Virgil had to suppress a sigh of relieve. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt the two love birds while they’re having a private call.” Tyler winked giggling to himself at the way Virgil looked at Roman once the video call had started, before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him. 

“He’s weird and you look ridiculous.” Virgil shrugged before getting an odd look from Roman, that told him to elaborate himself. “Tyler is weird and what was he even doing in your dressing room? Oh and please don’t tell me that thing on your head is part of your actual costume!”

“He just heard my laptop ring, nothing special. And what are you talking ab-? ooh that. We found it left over in the theatre and played around with it a bit! You think I look handsome?” Roman posed framing his head with his hands, before moving his hands to the little hat.

“Without the fez, maybe. With? You look absolutely ridiculous.” Virgil retorted before chuckling at his boyfriend’s face, which was obviously faking being insulted.

“Come on don’t I look like the doctor?” Virgil was left confused for a second. Doctor? Doctor who? Oh... that doctor. The Doctor.

“You actually watch Dr. Who? Because you didn’t when you still lived in my house.” House was probably an overstatement, more like small rundown apartment that has definitely seen better days... mainly the days when Roman was still there and actually cared about the way it looked. 

“How would you know, with all the time you locked yourself away to write your masterpiece? But... no I haven’t watched it... I just saw some pictures of it on Pinterest.” Roman eventually confessed. 

“Oh my god, how could I ever fall for someone like you!” It sounded almost as a genuine question, but Virgil’s laughter gave away that it wasn’t. 

“I’m not a fake fan if that’s what you were going to say! I never claimed that I actually watched the show!”

“You’re a Pinterest user!” Both men were full on giggling by now, Virgil even snorted once, which was the most adorable sound Roman had ever heard. 

“You really didn’t suspect that with all the fairy lights I added to your apartment?” Roman said between giggles.

“Let me guess, you also know about popular Tumblr posts through following accounts that repost them to Pinterest?” Virgil asked it, but he already had his suspicions.

“Hey, what’s with all the Pinterest hate?”

“I wonder.“ Virgil said raising an eyebrow while looking at the ridiculous looking fez on Roman’s head. “Anyway I think you look more like Tommy Cooper.”

“Who’s that?!” Virgil was surprised how Roman didn’t know that. Then again, the man had been dead for a while. 

“A total badass comedian and magician! He used to pay for cabs by paying the exact fee, followed by putting something in the driver’s pocket and he would say ‘have a drink on me.’ You know what it was he put in the driver’s pocket? A tea bag! That man was a sarcastic genius!” Roman loved the way Virgil’s eyes lit up as he spoke about random old celebrities that he had never heard of himself. It reminded him of how different they were, but how they still somehow worked. He only wished Virgil was here with him and they didn’t have to talk over Skype anymore. But he shouldn’t make Virgil feel more guilty than he already did. Virgil just needed some time... and maybe Roman’s career would flop and he would go back to Florida sooner than expected. Ugh he shouldn’t think like this! He was living his dream! Virgil was working on living his own dream! And they are able to stay together, even if they live far apart! Ugh, he had to get back into the lovely conversation they were having. He completely missed the last 3 minutes of Virgil gushing over this Cooper guy. 

“Well thank you for the compliment then!” Roman interrupted Virgil’s monologue about Tommy Cooper

“He may have been a badass, he still looked ridiculous!”

“Whatever you say dark and dreary” 

“Oh and he must have had one of the most brutal deaths in showbiz history!” 

They talked on like that for a few hours before Roman really had to head home or he might have ended up locked up in the theatre. 

Talking to Roman always helped ease Virgil’s anxieties, the biggest problem was that Virgil started to realize how dependent he was on it. The anxiety returning sooner after every conversation they had. 

After getting a last goodnight text from Roman, Virgil was about to put his phone away when he saw that he had an email from his publisher, requesting an urgent meeting about the marketing of his book and something about a publishing party. Virgil really wished he would have ignored the email, as he didn’t want to respond right away as it was already late, but he also knew that the feeling that he still had to write an email would keep him up for a while. 

And as Virgil had a lot to think about right now anyway, he grabbed a blanket, shuffled to his cough, put on some mind numbing tv and just thought about whatever would come up in his mind, as he tried to put everything in perspective. Eventually sleep did get the better of him, and at around 3 AM his eyes slid close as his mind went silent, his last thought being about how much he missed Roman, as Virgil finally fell asleep.


	9. Ro’s number was added to Daniel’s phone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys remember Daniel/le? They’re back and more confusing than ever xD

You are Daniel a voice spoke as Daniel woke up. If he was honest it was somewhat relaxing to have someone tell him what gender he was feeling like everyday. It meant that he wouldn’t even have to think about it while standing in front of the closet in the morning. So relaxing that it almost made him forget how weird it was, and how he should probably talk to a therapist about hearing voices or something like that. 

Daniel was walking in the raster that’s the streets of New York. His journey from the hotel to the streets was a blur, just like it had been on the airport and once again there didn’t seem to be a way back to the hotel, only a way forward. There were several things he had to do today, that had collected themselves in the form of a checklist in his mind. If he thought really hard about it, he could almost see his tasks in front of him. Like they were floating around in the physical world. 

Daniel had to make some pretty important decisions today. Decisions that would determine how his story would go from here. First he went to Central Park, where he found several things that would help him finish his tasks list for today. A certain metal object was shining in a trash can, almost impossible to miss, like it was just a shiny white diamond calling out for a magpie to pick it up. And naturally Daniel did. This would come in handy later today. 

At night, as Daniel was thinking about his last task, ‘find a place to eat’, he bumped into someone. It was dark and he hadn’t been looking where he was going. It was almost as if he had been walking on auto pilot, which really isn’t something you should do in a city where you don’t really know your way around. 

The person he bumped into didn’t rudely yell at Daniel to get out of the way, or to fuck off, like other New Yorkers had done earlier in the day. No, he seemed to just stop for a second, just long enough for Daniel to get his mind back to the busy streets. 

“Sorry sir.” He said as he slowly tried to make his way around the man he had walked into, not expecting the other to do much more than huff and continue on his way. 

“Wait!” The man called after him, with a voice that was familiar somehow. To Daniel it sounded like recognizing someone’s handwriting, but still not knowing who had written the sappy love letter you found in your high school locker. Which was weird because why would he compare speech and writing like that in the first place? It’s not like he could read what the stranger was saying to him. 

“You’re Danielle right? Or wait... are you Daniel today?” The man continued as Daniel’s thoughts had caught up to him. It was almost as if the man had waited for him to press a button, before continuing the conversation. But the man was right. He was speaking to Daniel, so that should mean that Daniel should know him, right?

“It’s Ro, from the airport! I never expected to run into you in this big city!” The man, Ro, looked slightly different from when they first met. He was still wearing the same stripy t-shirt and brown jacket, but his hair looked messier than before, as it was constantly falling in front of his face. It looked like he had been sweating earlier on, but he was doing good now. Maybe he has had some sort of dance practice earlier?

“We should totally catch up!” Something in his demeanor changed after he said that. “Have you... have you eaten anything yet? We can get some dinner together, to catch up... if you want to of course! It’s just... There’s this Italian place a few blocks from here, and the food is really good!” 

Daniel was left with the choice. If he said yes, he would go with someone who was still practically a stranger, but he was fun to talk too and didn’t seem to have any bad intentions. If he said no, nothing would change, the story would not progress, everything would stand still until he would make another big decision. And maybe more importantly he still wouldn’t have a place to eat for tonight, and he started to get hungry. So Daniel nodded and let Ro lead him to an adorable little pizzeria with fairy lights hanging from the ceiling, very fitting for the person who was now sitting in front of him at a table for two. 

Both ordered something simple, Ro going for a pepperoni pizza and Daniel going for some spaghetti carbonara, that, once it arrived, he ate with practiced movements as to not look like an idiot with pasta hanging from his mouth. 

“So the dog got to the tricycle and her prom dress caught fire, and that’s how she realized I had kissed a guy - and I liked it - and dumped me so I wouldn’t dump her for someone of a different gender.” Ro ended his story “now what’s your story?” 

Should he tell him his life story? They barely know each other! But talking to Ro was so easy and Daniel would be lying if he said that he wasn’t a little bit attracted to this stranger he once killed in a daydream. So as if he was given a yes or no, he chose that yes, he would tell Ro exactly how he had gotten to where he was now, well almost exactly. 

Dinner went by quickly and maybe the two men eventually got a little tipsy from the bottle of red wine they shared. Ro eventually offered to pay the bill, which Daniel refused, but Ro did anyway. They were walking in the streets that never slept, both giggling while talking about childhood stories and movies and stars and basically anything they could come up with. 

They eventually reached the lobby of the hotel Daniel was staying in, after ‘accidentally’ getting lost several times. They would blame it on the alcohol. It still felt like this evening had gone by too quickly. 

“This was fun. We should do it again sometime! Here have my number!” Ro’s number was added to Daniel’s phone. This could have been it. They could have both gone their own ways and talk more when both were sober, but that’s not how this night ended as both men stared into each other’s eyes for a little too long before the distance between them suddenly seemed to have almost disappeared. They kissed, just a little peck on the lips, nothing special, but it felt special, at least to Daniel it did. 

The gun in his backpack seemed almost nonexistent for now. The things he had done before this beautiful, perfect, night with Ro, were completely forgotten about. All that counted right now was that Ro’s lips had touched his and that it had felt magical. He wanted to feel that magic again, so he went back for another kiss and Ro gladly deepened the kiss into something a bit more real. Daniel hoped this wasn’t another daydream, because he couldn’t live with himself if it was.


	10. Roman’s hoodie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some heavy angst in this chapter
> 
> Trigger Warning: Panic attack
> 
> You have been warned! Please be careful reading it! 
> 
> Virgil bumps into someone and Remy is in trouble.

Logan put the pile of papers, held together by a light blue ribbon, down on his desk. He had been meaning to read this for a long time now, but he had gotten distracted by other things and now his husband, who normally stayed far away from thrillers had already read Virgil’s manuscript and Logan was only halfway. He had to admit that it was a very intriguing story so far with a peculiar way of describing the actions of the lead character, but he was very curious when the title would start to make sense, as for now he might have his suspicions, but Patton wouldn’t tell him if he was correct, because spoilers, and he didn’t really want to admit to Virgil that he hadn’t finished it yet. 

Logan had to put the manuscript away because Virgil had decided to read and reply to the email from Logicality bookstore with Logan helping him to send the reply without panicking about it too much. They quickly got a reply back from the publisher that they expected Virgil in their office in Miami on the 19 of January, exactly one month after Virgil’s birthday, and exactly at the day of Roman’s opening night performance. That same night Virgil would be able to give a publishing party to get some publicity for his debut novel. It didn’t take long to come up with a location that would keep Virgil reasonably comfortable, the very bookstore they were in right now. There was just one problem. If the party was going to be at Logicality’s Patton and Logan would have to stay in the store to set up, meaning Virgil had to find someone else to drive him to Miami, or he would have to take the bus, and he didn’t like public transport...

“I think Remy has a car. I can call him and ask if he can drive you, if you want?” Patton proposed, babying Virgil a bit, knowing that Virgil didn’t like phone calls.

“No, I’m not your son that you have to arrange a play date for.” It’s not that Virgil didn’t appreciate the offer or that he didn’t trust Remy’s driving skills, he just... didn’t want to inconvenience anyone more than he had to. He could always take the bus, he had done so many times during his college years, not that he liked it, but...

“No, but I am your uncle and I love you. And so does Remy, so I’m sure he would drive you if someone asked him to”

“You could, of course, contact him yourself with your cellphone, or even the phone in the back of the store. I am certain he will answer the phone in his shop, as he always does.” Logan added to the conversation, while adjusting his glasses. A smirk grew on his lips knowing Virgil wouldn’t do that either and thus had to give in to Patton’s offer, or think of something else. He just wanted to be sure that Virgil would get to Miami safely and he really wanted someone to be there with him during his conversation with his publisher.

“Not always! I.. I pick up sometimes... I’m getting better at doing so! Anyway, I wouldn’t want to keep the line busy in case a costumer calls! I’ll just drop by later today and ask him in person!” That is if his anxiety would let him.

“Okay kiddo, just be sure to ask on time so he doesn’t have to cancel any appointments.” Patton grabbed a few books that lay disregarded in the little reading corner, as he spoke, so he could start putting them back.

“I said I would do it later today.” If he told his uncles that he would, his mind might just convince itself that he really had to go today and he could get this over with. 

Logan and Patton shared a look. It was clear in their faces that they didn’t believe what Virgil was saying as his general anxiety always makes him procrastinate on doing anything that he didn’t really want to do. “Fine! I’ll go to his shop right now and ask him! Just stop with that judging silent conversation!” 

And so Virgil went on his way to his uncles hair salon. He walked through the streets of this town he knew so well, and yet something felt off. Like everyone knew there was this big event coming up, and deliberately tried to hide it from Virgil. Not that he would actually go to that imaginary big event, but he just felt left out. Everyone was doing their thing, and Virgil was just there. Sure he had things to do, he was on his way to do a thing, but still... for the first time since Virgil had came back to from Italy to this small American town, he felt like he didn’t belong. This town. His safe haven. It started feeling empty and suffocating at the same time. It was probably just the nerves taking. He was already anxious so his brain would just come up with more things to be anxious about, being alone with nobody who really cared about him, was probably his biggest fear after all. But was this the same? 

Virgil was so lost in his own mind that he didn’t notice the man walking up to him until he walked straight into his chest. With an oof Virgil bumped against the chest, before two hands grabbed his arms so neither of the men would fall. 

“Woah! You okay there?” Virgil hazily nodded, to answer the man’s question before he wanted to continue his way to his uncle, but the man was still holding him and the grip started to burn through the sleeves of his hoodie, a burgundy one that was one size too big. he had specifically bought it with Roman in mind, as Roman often forgot to bring a jacket and Virgil could bring him one while pretending it was just a back up hoodie for himself. 

“You sure? You don’t look okay.” Virgil nodded again. He wasn’t even sure how he could still hear the man over his screaming thoughts. He tried to pull himself away, but it was a weak attempt as his muscles had started to tense up, he looked down at his arms where he was met with burgundy... did he own anything burgundy? Oh yes that hoodie he had bought for Roman. Why was he wearing Roman’s hoodie? Why hadn’t Roman taken it with him? No wait it was Virgil’s hoodie. But he had bought it for Roman! And now Roman is in a colder climate without it! He’s probably wearing an actual winter coat there. Why are his arms burning? Is something wrong with the jacket? No wait hoodie. Is something wrong with the jacket? No hoodie, he was wearing a hoodie, Roman’s hoodie. No HIS own hoodie! Angelo’s hoodie. No Virgil he was Virgil, not Angelo, well he was Angelo, but that was his second name. His grandpa was Angelo. His arms were moving. Was the other person shaking his arms? Who was he talking to again? Did he even know to begin with? He wasn’t talking to Patton or Logan as he had left the bookstore, right? Yes, he was outside in Roman’s hoodie. But he wasn’t speaking to Roman either. Where was Roman? Why wasn’t he here? Why was Virgil missing Roman? Did Roman hate him? Was that why he had moved away? Oh yeah, right, Roman had moved away. Roman hated Virgil. No Roman was away for a job, he would come back! But coming back meant that his dreams wouldn’t come trough. Virgil felt like he was stuck in a dream, probably a nightmare. He was sitting on the ground. Did he sit down? Did he fall? His cheeks were burning now. Was he crying? Did the tears cause the burning feeling on his cheeks? No, this was heavier than tears. Hands. Why was someone touching his face?! It wasn’t Roman! Roman wasn’t here. The person touching him should stop. Virgil had to tell the person to stop. Why was it so difficult to speak. Where was the air he needed to do so?! 

“-ease calm down. Uhm... Angelo right?” Angelo? Did this person know him? Had to be someone from that school thingy, what was it called again? Come on, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, what was the word for college again? Oh... stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Where was Roman, he always knew what to do when he was like this. He didn’t like being like this. Why couldn’t he just stop. Stupid, stupid, useless, useless, useless, useless! 

“-eathe, take a deep breath. You’re going to pass out if you continue on like this.”

Thanks for nothing mystery man. He is breathing! He nows how to breathe? Why were his longs aching, he could almost hear their protests above the screaming of his mind. Air! He needed air! Air, air, air, airplane. NO, no airplane. He was sitting on the ground! No airplane! Pavement! Something scratched against his nails, or maybe it was the other way around. It was hard. Pavement! Burning, not his arms, not his face! The man had let go of him. Still burning. Chest? Yes, chest! Heart, lungs. Needed air! Breathing. Numbers, what were the numbers!

“- I don’t know what to do Joan! He’s hyperventilating... I don’t know he just bumped into me and started panicking! I don’t even know if he can actually hear me!” Virgil didn’t know how to tell the man he could. Well he didn’t hear much, because his thoughts were LOUD! But he could hear some things.

“He went to the college I teach at, I think four years ago, or so. Joan please help me! I’m starting to freak out too!” Four that was a number he needed! Breathe in for four! But when did he have to let it out?! Stupid, useless, stupid, stupid, useless! 

“4-7-8 thanks Joan.” 4-7-8! That was it! Thanks... John?

“Angelo, hey, can you hear me?” Virgil shook his head with great effort. He wasn’t Angelo! He was Virgil. “I’m going to talk to you anyway, okay?” Virgil didn’t move this time, or he thought he didn’t. He wasn’t really sure what his body was doing, only sure of what was happening inside his head. “We’re gonna do a breathing exercise, okay? I’m going to count my breathing and you just have to follow, alright?” Virgil had already started the exercise before the man could start counting, and of course the other man noticed. “That’s right, in 1-2-3-4, hold 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, out 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. You’re doing great! 

Eventually Virgil calmed down and started to recognize the man as one of the professors of the drama department at his old college. He couldn’t think of the man’s name at the moment, but he knew that he had helped Virgil and Roman with the whole Deceit situation, so Virgil trusted the man. 

“Hey, uhm Angelo?”

“Virgil.” The man looked confused at Virgil, so he elaborated. “My name is Virgil... my... my second name is Angelo, but uhm... I don’t really use that one anymore.” Virgil’s mouth was dry as he spoke.

“Okay, Virgil. Do you know you just had a panic attack?” Virgil simply nodded, he had had so many in his life that he could probably recognize how it was to have one by now. “Uhm so my friend told me that after an attack someone must rest and drink some water.” Again no new information to Virgil here, so he just tiredly nodded again. 

“Is there some place you can go to do that? I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to just sit here on the pavement all day.” 

“My... my uncle has a hair salon nearby. I was on my way there anyway.” Virgil stood up and dusted of his jeans like nothing had happened, but his legs still shook a bit as he stood, and that seemed to be enough for the professor to decide to accompany Virgil until he was at his uncle’s place. 

They arrived at ‘Cut the crap or Dye’ soon enough and luckily Remy didn’t have a client at the moment so all his attention immediately went to his nephew, who didn’t look very presentable at the moment. 

“Virge, babes, what the hell happened to you! It looks like you have started to melt! Is this man here responsible?! I will-“ Remy was ready to fight this attractive and strangely familiar man, but was luckily held back by Virgil.

“Chill! I... I had an attack, and he helped me and wanted to make sure I uhm... got here safely.” 

“Oh...” Remy sheepishly said

“Yeah...” Virgil followed, just as sheepishly.

“Well thanks, babe” Remy winked and gave the stranger a smirk before turning to his nephew.

“No problem.” The man said. “Oh and it’s Thomas by the way. Thomas Sanders.”

Remy turned as pale as the streaks of foundation that had somehow managed to still cling to Virgil’s face. And although Virgil was exhausted. He noticed. 

“Uh... Rem? Are you alright?” He asked, and Remy wished his nephew hadn’t. 

“Rem? Remy Davide?!” Thomas exclaimed realizing that his ex, from years ago, was standing right in front of him and he wasn’t really sure how he should feel about that.

“Oh Mio Dio.” Remy was in big trouble.


	11. I’ve got a life outside of you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pain continues.   
> How long are these two going stand being apart from each other, before they either move back with each other of break up?

It was about half past 1 in the morning when Virgil closed his laptop. Roman wouldn’t Skype him anymore that night, and that was okay. Virgil was sure Roman had a good reason to forget about him. It didn’t make this any less painful though. Virgil had been so excited to tell his boyfriend about what he had accomplished that day, minus the panic attack of course. He was going to tell Roman about finally going to have a physical copy of the book in a week, and about the publishing party that was going to be held at Logicality bookstore on the day that Roman had opening night... Both of their futures were finally taking off... but maybe they were in different airplanes after all... or Roman was in an airplane and Virgil was stuck on the ground, because nothing in the world was ever going to be able to get him in an airplane ever again. Virgil felt like he was on a rubber boat, floating somewhere in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight... At least he wasn’t drowning, yet. A leak in the boat was all it would take after all.

Just one call that Roman didn’t make had caused a huge mood swing for Virgil, especially after the day he’d had, and somehow Virgil feared it wouldn’t be the last time something like this happened. What if something bad had happened to Roman and there was nothing Virgil could do about it as he was stuck in Florida? What if Roman only pretended to still love Virgil as he didn’t want to break his promise, but secretly had no feelings for him anymore? What if Roman hadn’t messaged him, because he was too busy making out with someone else behind Virgil’s back?! 

Virgil didn’t sleep that night. His phone screen turned black around three, when the battery died, and Virgil reluctantly got up to put his phone on charge. He thought about going to the living room to grab a snack from the kitchen or maybe grab his guitar, but he didn’t want to wake up any of his neighbors, not because he cared about them, but because he didn’t want to get in trouble and maybe get kicked out on a noice complaint. 

So Virgil did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed his laptop and started to write and he continued writing until after the sun started to show themselves. Until his phone started buzzing from the other side of the room.

9:04  
Princey <3: I’m so sorry about last night! We had a long day rehearsing and afterwards the cast went to this adorable Italian restaurant that I bet you would have loved! And then we went out clubbing and it was late and I didn’t want to text you last night as I didn’t want to wake you up. 

Princey <3: And I’m sorry if these texts woke you up, but I have to go now and I know you would have gotten anxious if I didn’t tell you why I didn’t call last night.

Princey <3: love you! Call you later, okay? 

Princey <3: I promise! 

Virgil read the texts but didn’t reply. Exhaustion finally getting the better of him. He left his phone on the charger and fell face first in the mountain of pillows accumulated on the bed that Virgil once shared with Roman. He totally wasn’t coping with the empty space in his bed by constantly buying more throw pillows pfff.

Around noon Virgil’s phone rang. It woke him up, after he’d finally fallen asleep after reading Roman’s texts from this morning. The phone was once again laying way to far away for him to stay in bed, so he dragged himself towards the annoying noise only to pick up to a frantic Roman.

“Oh my god Virgil I’m soooo sorry!” The apology sounded quick but sincere. It also sounded like he had been trying to contact Virgil for a while before he picked up. 

“Yeah Princey, you already said that over text.” Virgil answered bluntly. His panic attack from yesterday and his severe lack of sleep not doing anything for his mood. 

“Listen, I know you’re mad and your anxiety is probably telling you all kind of things that could have happened, but they didn’t I swear! I just lost track of time!” There was tension behind Roman’s words. Maybe he was sick of having to explain himself to Virgil. Maybe he was tired of this long distance relationship that offered no clear future. Maybe he was just tired. 

“You know what my anxiety is telling me? It’s telling me that you forgot about me. Wasn’t that exactly what happened?!” Virgil was tired too. He didn’t want to fight, but all the pend up anxiety, combined with his sleepless night made him snap. 

“Yes. NO! I didn’t forget about you! I thought about you all night I just-” 

“And not even a text?” Tears were forming in Virgil’s eyes, as the thoughts of Roman leaving him because he didn’t like him anymore returned to his mind. If Roman really thought about him all night... then why no text? All he had to say was that he couldn’t call that night... why didn’t he? Was he really hanging out with the cast? Or was he with someone else? Virgil had no idea what Roman was doing out there!

“Well it’s not like you texted me back this morning!” Roman was getting frustrated now. The stress of rehearsals and love making itself known. 

“Why would I? When you obviously didn’t care enough last night!” Virgil raised his voice. 

“Seriously Virge! I’ve got a life outside of you!” Roman followed his boyfriend’s example before he realized what he had just said.

Silence on both sides of the line as Virgil was trying to keep back from breaking down in sobs and Roman was slowly realizing how that had probably sounded to his little storm cloud. 

“Virgil, darkling, I...” Roman’s voice soft and breakable. A sharp contrast to his almost shouting seconds earlier. 

“I do... I do have a life here you know?” Roman could hear the tremble in Virgil’s voice over the phone and it broke his heart. “It’s just always about you, isn’t it? I do things without you... my life isn’t standing still just because you’re not here.”

“Virge, you know that’s not wha-“ But Virgil wouldn’t let Roman talk his way out of this. This was something that had to be said.

“I’m going to Miami in a few weeks. Remy is going to drive me there. Crazy right? I’m going to be talking with my publisher, without you being there, and after that I’ll go back to this small little town, that would always stay too small for you and have a book publishing party in Logicality’s, again without you, all while you continue your life there and have the opening night of your show.”

“You’re throwing a party on my opening night?” Virgil huffed, but it sounded more like a sad chuckle. 

“It really is always about you isn’t it?” He said, closing his eyes as the tears followed the tracks on his cheeks. He cried a lot recently. And he had been doing so well! He had been so happy the last few years. Here in his hometown, where he belonged. Where he was at his place. Where he was happy. With or without Roman... 

It was silent again, as Roman didn’t even try to disagree with Virgil.

“Forget about it... we’ll... we’ll talk this through later.” Roman didn’t want this conversation to end the way it was about to, but he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to ease his boyfriend’s mind. He felt useless. He felt like he wasn’t good enough. He felt guilty for once again putting himself and his own feelings above Virgil’s.

“Yeah... uhm... I’ll call you later, Virge.” He would call tonight if he knew what to say by then, otherwise he would have a good conversation with his New York friends about what he had to do, and call Virgil tomorrow.

“Later, Roman.” Roman couldn’t even begin to describe how much it hurt that Virgil didn’t call him either Princey, Ro or even Romano.


End file.
